I’m proud to consider myself a lifelong Spartan fan, so living in Ann Arbor was not the ideal location for me. MSU beating the pesky Wolverines in football the last four years made my life much easier, but it wasn’t always easy.

Every time my Spartans lost a game, I’d hear it Monday morning from my Wolverine-adoring friends. And every time there was an argument over who was better, Kirk Cousins or Denard Robinson, I would be all alone, although it was blatantly obvious Captain Kirk was better than Shoelace.

Now that I’m finally around fellow Spartan lovers, it is a relief. I’m no longer on an island when it comes to sports debates, and I’m finally around the people who also are proud to sport green and white. Although it’s taken me time to get used to not expecting someone to talk smack in class on Monday after an MSU loss.

Something I always find interesting about being from Ann Arbor is the reaction I get when I meet new people and they ask where I’m from. I’m quick to blurt out that I’ve always been a Spartan fan to calm the new acquaintance, but sometimes it’s too late and my would-have-been new friend already is long gone.

But outside of U-M, Ann Arbor is a great city that I’m proud to say I’m from. A large upbeat downtown with friendly people and plenty of opportunities to interact in a positive way are some of the great things about Ann Arbor.

During the summer, there are always events going on that draw big crowds, most notably the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, Top of the Park and Rolling Sculpture Car Show. One of the best things I liked about Ann Arbor was knowing there would always be something fun to do on the weekends.

Comparing East Lansing’s downtown to Ann Arbor’s is hard for me because they contain different roles in college life. East Lansing primarily is a college town, while Ann Arbor is not, so both have unique qualities to them.

Grand River Avenue is useful when it comes to convenience stops such as late-night meals, snack shopping at CVS and local bookstores. However, that is all most get out of East Lansing’s downtown. Ann Arbor has a much more accommodating downtown, with more restaurants and attractions, making it a very diverse city.

But what East Lansing might lack in downtown attractions, it makes up for in its people.

While I have many close friends and loved ones who attend U of M, there is a certain arrogance that reigns over them, and they can often make it seem as if they think they are better than you.

A few weekends ago, I had some of my best friends from high school who attend U-M come and visit me. These guys are great and all, but when there was an opportunity to pick at MSU or point out how U-M is better, they were first to jump on it. And this goes for a lot of different U-M fans I’ve met through the years.

Now the rivalry between the two schools might be the root of many of these comments, and I won’t say Spartans don’t make their own comments about the Wolverines, but there definitely is a difference between the two.

Also, MSU students are more down to earth and simply more friendly. I don’t necessarily know why this is, but it’s something I’ve personally noticed.

A good example of this is the MSU connection of “Go green, go white.” Hearing the notorious “Go green, go white” chant on a Tuesday night at 11:30 p.m. from about a mile away is something I find special. Another example is the friendliness almost every student displays, holding long conversations with complete strangers on Grand River Avenue. I can personally tell you that you won’t find that back in Ann Arbor.

Growing up in a college town in many ways has helped my transition into college, and I’m happy I was given the opportunity to grow up in Ann Arbor.

However, East Lansing — and MSU — is my new home and will be for the next four years. Living in East Lansing finally has made me feel as if I’m with the people who share the same passion as me — as if I fit in.

Although my days here in East Lansing only are beginning, I’m excited for what the future holds, and I’m eager to create plenty of memories here and grow into my new home.

Robert Bondy is a State News staff writer and a journalism freshman. Reach him at bondyrob@msu.edu.